Required PCN Information

  1. Name, address and telephone number of applicant.
  2. Location of the project. (section, township-range, county, state, coordinates, detailed map)
  3. Project description in writing.
    1. Project purpose.

    2. Direct and indirect adverse environmental impacts.

    3. List of other Corps permits (if known) used for the project.

  4. Wetland delineation, if required.
  5. Statement that you have contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding threatened and endangered species and their habitats on the project, and a statement of their response.
  6. Statement that you have contacted the State Historic Preservation Office regarding any historic properties in the project area.
  7. A proposed mitigation plan.  

  8. An application form may also be submitted, but is not required.   

Pre-construction Notification

Some Nationwide Permits require a pre-construction notice. If this is the case, the prospective permittee must notify the District Engineer as early as possible and shall not begin the activity until:

  1. Notified by the District Engineer that the activity may proceed under the NWP with any special conditions imposed by the District or Division engineer; or

  2. If notified by the District or Division engineer that an individual permit is required; or

  3. Unless 30 days have passed from the District Engineer's receipt of the notification and the prospective permittee has not received notice from the District or Division Engineer. Subsequently, the permittee's right to proceed under the NWP may be modified, suspended, or revoked only in accordance with the procedure set forth in 33 CFR 330.5(d)(2).

In reviewing an activity under the notification procedure, the District Engineer (DE) will first determine whether the activity will result in more than minimal individual or cumulative adverse environmental effects or will be contrary to the public interest. The prospective permittee may choose to submit a proposed mitigation plan with the preconstruction notification to expedite the process. Upon receipt of a notification, a copy will be provided to the appropriate offices of the Fish and Wildlife Service, State natural resource or water quality agency, EPA, and, if appropriate, the National Marine Fisheries Service. Comments from Federal and State agencies concerning the proposed activity's compliance with the terms and conditions of the nationwide permits will be considered as well as the need for mitigation to reduce the project's adverse environmental effects to a minimal level. If the the activity complies with the terms and conditions of the NWP and that the adverse effects are minimal, the permittee will be notified in writing with an authorization, including subsuquent conditions, if necessary. If it is determined that the adverse effects of the proposed work are more than minimal, then the applicant will be notified that:

  1. the project does not qualify for authorization under the NWP and instruct the applicant on the procedures to seek authorization under an individual permit;

  2. the project is authorized under the nationwide permit subject to the applicant's submitting a mitigation proposal that would reduce the adverse effects to the minimal level. This mitigation proposal must be approved by the DE prior to commencing work. If the prospective permittee elects to submit a mitigation plan, the DE will expeditiously review the proposed mitigation plan, but will not commence a second 30-day notification procedure. If the net adverse effects of the project (with the mitigation proposal) are determined to be minimal, a timely written response will be sent to the applicant stating that the project can proceed under the terms and conditions of the nationwide permit.

Wetlands Delineations: Wetland delineations must be prepared in accordance with the current method required by the Corps. The permittee may ask the Corps to delineate the special aquatic site. There may be some delay if the Corps does the delineation. Furthermore, the 30-day period will not start until the wetland delineation has been completed.

 

Mitigation: Factors that the District Engineer will consider when determining the acceptability of appropriate and practicable mitigation include, but are not limited to:

  1. The mitigation must be available and capable of being done considering costs, existing technology, and logistics in light of overall project purposes;

  2. To the extent appropriate, permittees should consider mitigation banking and other forms of mitigation including contributions to wetland trust funds, which contribute to the restoration, creation, replacement, enhancement, or preservation of wetlands.